Three Days Later

“Ty,” someone said as they shook his shoulder. “Ty, it’s seven o’clock. You wanted me to wake you up.”

Tyler opened his eyes. Cassidy stood over him. He nodded at her and she left the room. Good; she hadn’t woken up Nicki. She was on her side facing him, sound asleep. He watched as her chest moved gently up and down as she breathed. He planted a kiss on her forehead before sneaking out of bed.

“Hey sweetie,” his mom said as he walked sleepily into the kitchen.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched. “Hey mom.”

Tyler looked at the counters. They were littered with ingredients for pancakes. Today was Nicki’s birthday, and he decided he would surprise her with breakfast in bed. The biggest surprise: he was going to cook. His mother offered to help him make the batter, and he accepted gratefully.

“She’s going to love this,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He knew she would. Nicki had begged and begged him not to get her anything for her birthday. He told her he wouldn’t. But he did. He would make her think that the pancakes were her present, and surprise her with it later.

His mother had already made all of the necessary arrangements for that night. They were going to throw her a surprise party. She had invited all of his old friends. He missed them like hell, and he wanted them to meet Nicki. His mom had picked up a huge cake, candles, and party decorations. Tyler couldn’t wait.

He mixed the ingredients in a bowl as his mother added them in.

“So,” she began, “are you two alright now?”

Tyler nodded his head. “We were always alright. I was just really overwhelmed that day. I don’t know what hit me,” he explained.

“I know, hon. I’ve been there before.”

“With dad?” he asked.

“When we first started dating. You really love her, don’t you?”

He stared down at the batter. More than he could ever say. He gave her a roundabout answer.

“I don’t think I could live without her.”

She smiled. She had been waiting for this day since he was a kid. Somewhere inside, he always thought that he had disappointed her by wanting to stay single. She was constantly reminding him that life isn’t worth living if you aren’t with someone you love. Back then, he didn’t understand. Now it was clear as day.

From then on, they worked in silence. His mom cut up the bananas while he opened the bag of chocolate chips. Nicki always said that banana chocolate chip pancakes were her favorite thing to eat, but she wouldn’t touch them because she could eat twenty of them. A smile started to spread across his face. She was so strange; he loved it.

Twenty minutes later, Tyler had a heaping plate of pancakes. They looked pretty damn good. He got the syrup out of a cabinet and poured orange juice into a tall glass. He placed everything on a tray before stepping back to take a look at his work.

“It looks really good, Ty. I’m proud of you,” his mom said as she kissed his cheek.

He chuckled. “Thanks mom. I’m pretty proud myself. Nicki deserves most of the credit though. She’s been teaching me how to cook.”

She put a hand to her heart. “I really love that girl, Ty. Don’t you ever leave her. I’m telling you, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

He knew very well what he was implying. His mother did, too. She started to cry and he pulled her into a hug.

“Go on,” she said as she wiped her eyes, “Go bring it to her.”

** * * * * *

Nicki felt a pair of lips against her own. She moaned and reached for Tyler, eyes still closed. She found the back of his head and pulled him closer, moving her lips against his. She wished she could wake up that way every morning. Tyler took his lips from hers and she opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. Those eyes…

“Happy birthday,” he whispered, smiling.

She had nearly forgotten that today was her birthday.

“Thanks, love.”

She puckered her lips and waited for him to kiss her again. It didn’t last nearly as long as she would have liked.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said, face bright.

Nicki pushed herself up. “Please tell me that you didn’t get me anything.”

He turned his back to her and walked towards his desk, picking something up.

“I didn’t get you anything. But I did make you something.”

He placed a tray next to her. On it there was a pile of pancakes, orange juice, syrup, and utensils. Tears began to well in her eyes. He had made her breakfast.

“Tyler! I don’t even know what to say. This is the best birthday present I could have asked for,” she said, tears spilling over now.

He kissed the top of her head.

“Don’t speak too soon. You should probably try them first.”

Nicki giggled and patted the bed next to her. Tyler sat down and looked at her.

“You made way too much. I’ll never be able to eat all of this,” she said. “Will you help?”

He grinned and said yes. Nicki poured syrup onto the plate and cut a large piece of pancake. She held up the fork in between them.

“Let’s try it at the same time,” she suggested.

She opened her mouth and leaned in towards the side of the fork facing her. Tyler did the same. Their lips met in the middle as they bit down. Nicki tried to hold in a laugh. It reminded her of Lady and the Tramp.

“Oh my God, Ty! These are delicious!” she said, holding a hand up to cover the food still in her mouth. “Aw, and they’re banana chocolate chip. You’re the greatest.”

Nicki didn’t see that coming at all. It was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for her. But so weren’t a lot of the things Tyler did. She couldn’t stop smiling.

“I guess you’ve been doing a good job teaching me,” he said, bringing a hand up to her face. “You’ll have to thank my mom though, too. She helped.”

She leaned in to press her lips against his. It was all she wanted to do that morning. But she was hungry; and those pancakes were really good. She dug in.

When she finished eating, she heard Tyler chuckle.

“I’ve never seen you eat that much. Like, not even close.”

Nicki grabbed her stomach and groaned, taking a sip of her juice.

“I told you I’m dangerous around them.”

Tyler picked up the tray and put it back on his desk. He climbed back under the covers with Nicki. She pushed herself towards him and rested her head on his chest. There was never a moment in her life that she was happier than when she was in his arms.

“Let’s just stay here for the morning,” he said.

Usually, Nicki didn’t like to stay in bed long after she woke up. But there was nothing that they had to do that day. She gave him her answer by wrapping an arm around his stomach and stretching to lightly kiss his neck. There wasn’t a single thing she’d rather do than lie with him for the rest of the day.

They talked for a while. When the conversation ceased, Nicki closed her eyes. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, Jackie came into the room.

“How were the pancakes?”

Nicki sat up. She felt strange talking to her while lying in bed with her son.

“They were delicious,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

Jackie laughed. “Don’t thank me. I didn’t really do much. Happy birthday, sweetie.”

She loved that Jackie called her the same things she called her children. It made her feel so good; as if she was a part of the family.

“Thanks, Jackie. I can’t believe I’m not a teenager anymore.”

“Goes by fast, doesn’t it?” she said, smiling. “Well I’m taking the girls out shopping. We’ll be back in a few hours.”

Nicki turned to look at Tyler. “Did you have something to do with this?”

“With what?”

“The fact that your mom is going shopping with your sisters… at nine thirty in the morning? I’m pretty sure Candace doesn’t even wake up until noon.”

She could tell by his face that she had caught him.

“Well, I-“

Nicki didn’t let him finish. She grabbed his face and kissed him. He grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. Tyler parted his lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth. She gave it right back, growing more aggressive by the second.

Their first day in Brampton had taken a toll on both of them. Although they were no longer confused, emotions were still running high. Every kiss and every touch set off a bout of fireworks. At first the change had frightened Nicki, and she ran from it. But it was her love for Tyler that made her realize that she needed to embrace it. It was scary, wild, fiery, and incredible. She wanted him in every way possible.

Nicki felt him growing harder underneath her. Unable to control her desire for him, she started to grind against him. He moaned into her mouth and clenched his hands around her hips, a little rougher than she was used to. It only set her off more. She ripped off his shirt and ran her nails softly down his chest. She didn’t bother to wait for him to undress her, she did it herself.

Tyler ran his hands up and down her sides and looked at her. She could see the lust in his eyes. She loved when he looked at her that way. It made her feel sexy. Wanted. She leaned forward and ran her tongue along his neck. He made a soft noise and began to explore her body with his hands.

Every time that they had sex, they were so eager by the time their clothes were off that they jumped right into it. Nicki got the feeling that this time would be different. As if confirming, Tyler reached down and rubbed between her legs with his fingertips. She let out a breath and dropped her head onto his shoulder. She wanted to enjoy it.

Her heart was pounding against his chest. She was sure he could feel it. In minutes, she was on the edge. She took his hand away and looked at him.

“What made you do that?” she asked, still breathing heavily.

“Because today’s your birthday.”

Nicki still didn’t quite understand. And she didn’t bother to try. She came crashing down to his lips. It just never got old. Tyler flipped her over onto her back and brushed his lips against her ear.

“Tell me if you can’t take it,” he whispered seductively. It sent a chill down her spine.

He lingered there a moment, letting his words sink in. Nicki got the feeling he was planning to do something that she wasn’t used to. He’d never said anything like that before. She got another chill as he kissed her favorite spot, pulling at her skin with his lips. She ran a hand through his hair and stretched her neck so that he could get a better angle. She closed her eyes when she felt his hand caress her breast; another thing that he had never done before.

He brought his lips from her neck, leaving a trail of kisses down her chest before taking her breast into his mouth. She moaned as she felt his tongue against her skin, then her nipple. He went gently at first, teasing her. As time passed, he grew more aggressive, sucking on it and grabbing it delicately with his teeth. Nicki’s moaning coaxed him to bring his hand back down between her legs. She lifted her hips to meet his touch.

When she started to pant, he stopped and brought his lips up to hers. At this point, she had realized that there was still more in store for her. The thought just made her want him more. She slipped a hand underneath the band of his pajama pants and grabbed him. She heard a rumble from within his throat. This could be fun, she thought to herself.

Nicki tried to get his pants off, but couldn’t reach. He kicked them off easily. She reached for him again, touching him as softly as she could manage. She could be a tease, too.

“Shit,” he breathed into her ear.

She grinned, satisfied with her efforts, but only just beginning. She started to pull on him. She liked the way he felt in her hand. Tyler kissed her again, barely bothering with his lips. He was out for tongue. Nicki caught it with her lips and sucked on it. She knew how crazy he went over it.

“Get on your back,” she said, giving him a shove off of her.

She was getting impatient and went right for the kill, wrapping her mouth around him. She had only done it once before; in the shower that first night they slept together.

“Oh my friggen God.”

Nicki knew a few tricks. And she used them all. She put a hand around him and let it follow her mouth. Tyler pulled her hair as she moved her head. It made her go even harder. When she felt his muscles convulse, she stopped. He was panting.

“So unfair… so close,” he said between breaths.

When she looked at him, she saw the same hunger in his face that she felt in her gut. He moved towards the end of the bed. Nicki knew what was coming. She rolled onto her back and spread her legs. Tyler put his face inches away from her. She felt his hot breath and nearly lost it. Sensing her agony, he kissed her inner thighs, getting closer slowly. The wait was killing her.

Nothing could have prepared her for the ecstasy that consumed her when he finally reached his destination. Nicki had to grab a fistful of sheets just to stay in control. Just when she thought that it was the best thing she had ever felt, he inched a finger inside of her, moving it in and out to the rhythm of his tongue.

She whimpered each time he did it. When she started to hit the edge again, she grabbed the back of his head and pushed him closer. Just as she was about to let go, he pulled away. Nicki stared at him. Now she knew how he felt.

Tyler didn’t waste any more time. He climbed on top of her and pushed into her. She let out a cry and he instantaneously picked up his pace. He plowed into her, making her head hit the headboard. She didn’t care. He filled her perfectly; they fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle.

Nicki wrapped her legs around him and raised her hips. He knew what to do from there.

She screamed as she finally let herself go. Seconds later she felt him finish.

“Tyler…” was all that she could manage to say.

“Happy birthday,” he whispered in her ear.

There were hundreds of things that Nicki wanted to say to him, but she was in shock. Her body felt weak, her mind dull. She was completely exhausted. Tyler rolled over onto his back. She wondered if he felt the same way.

She crawled over to him and laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating just as fast as hers was.

** * * *

Jackie knocked on Tyler’s door. She had just gotten back; it was nearly one in the afternoon. She knocked again when no one opened the door. A few more minutes passed and she pushed the door open, slowly. She didn’t mind giving them time alone, but there were some things that a mother shouldn’t see her son doing.

She held her breath as she looked into the room, but let it out when she saw them asleep in his bed. It was evident that something had happened. The floor was spattered with clothes and Nicki’s bare back was exposed over the sheets. Jackie took a moment to look at them. Tyler had his arms wrapped around her and his chin rested on her head. He looked so peaceful. She figured most mothers would have a shit fit if they walked in on something like that. She thought it was beautiful.

For years now Jackie had hoped that Tyler would find a nice girl. One that would make him get his life together. Nicki was that and so much more. She felt her eyes begin to moisten. There was no better feeling than watching your child fall in love for the first time. It formed a knot in her stomach and she recalled what he had said to her earlier. He had confirmed what she had suspected since she first met Nicki. He was going to marry her someday.

Jackie walked into Cassidy’s room. She and Candace were in there looking through their new clothes.

“So what’s the deal?” asked Candace.

She smiled. “They’re asleep. Stay out of Ty’s room, okay?”

Candace raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to wake them up.”

** * * * *

Candace waited for her mother to leave the room and walk down the stairs. She got up off of her sister’s bed.

“Come on,” she said as she went to walk out of the room.

“Where are we going?” asked Cassidy.

“Tyler’s room.”

“But mom told us to stay out.”

“Cass, don’t you get it? It’s our job as his little sisters to spy on him. When mom says don’t, we do.”

Cassidy giggled and got up to follow her. She probably had no clue what Candace expected to find. She was still too young to understand. She crept down the hallway towards his room. Before she reached for the doorknob, she held a finger up to her mouth. Cassidy had a way of ruining things with her big mouth.

Candace opened the door and peeked in. Just as she thought. Their clothes were all over the floor.

“Eww,” Cassidy whispered, covering her eyes. “I didn’t want to see that!”

“What? You can’t see anything. They’re so cute,” she said.

“I don’t have to see to know what happened. You totally knew,” Cassidy said. “That’s our brother. You’re gross.”

Candace shook her head. “I’m not gross, you’re just immature. Sex is a beautiful thing, Cass.”

“Gross!” she shrieked.

“Shut up,” Candace snapped at her.

She should have known better than to bring her along.

** * * * *

It felt as though it took Nicki an hour to open her eyes. They were so heavy. She woke up with the sensation that someone was watching her. But she looked around the room, and no one was there. She wondered if Jackie and the girls had returned. If they had, she was pretty sure at least one of them would have come in. Her cheeks burned at the thought. They didn’t need to see her naked in bed with their brother or son.

She leaned over Tyler to check his alarm clock. When she did, she realized that every single muscle in her entire body ached. What the hell? She couldn’t even get herself propped up enough to see the time. She let herself fall limply onto her back.

Her movements woke up Tyler. He stretched and looked at her.

“Why haven’t we done that before?” he asked. “That was fucking unbelievable.”

He had that right. Nicki got goose bumps just thinking about earlier.

“Yeah, it was. Ty, I literally passed out. And now I can’t move,” she said, pouting. “You broke me.”

He looked concerned. “What do you mean?”

“I hurt all over. I can’t even get myself up,” she said. “I dunno what happened.”

“Hmm… this reminds me of a certain time when I could barely move and someone made me feel a hell of a lot better…”

Nicki smiled. Well, at least those muscles worked. “Really?”

He nodded. “Just let me put on some pants. If one of my sisters walked in, they wouldn’t sleep for months.”

Tyler put on a pair of gym shorts. “You didn’t happen to bring the oil, did you?”

“I did, actually. It’s in my suitcase.” She knew there was a reason why she felt like she needed to bring it.

Nicki watched him as he went through her stuff. He pulled out the dark green bottle and smiled at her.

“I can finally return the favor,” he said as he got back on the bed.

He knelt above her, legs wide around hers. Nicki stared up at him. She had a great view. She wanted to touch his chest, but her arm wouldn’t allow it. She let out a sigh. Tyler brushed his hand against her cheek.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You taught me well. I promise you’ll be better after. You won’t have a very fun birthday if you’re stuck in bed.”

He was right. Nicki wondered what he was planning for tonight. She knew better than to assume there wasn’t anything going on. Before she could make any headway on what he might do, he let the oil trickle onto her stomach and began to rub it in. She let out a long, exasperated moan.

No wonder he enjoyed this so much when she did it. It was so relaxing. She could feel her muscles loosening underneath his hands.

“You’re too good to me,” she said softly.

Tyler smiled and planted a single kiss on her lips.

“You deserve it.”

“Because it’s my birthday?”

“No. Well, yeah. But no,” he started. She could tell he was trying to find the right words to say. “There are so many reasons, Nicki. I can’t even try to list them all. You’ve had such a hard life. And somehow, even after all of the shit you’ve been through, you managed to come out an even better person. Like, I don’t even get how that works. Those things are supposed to destroy people and make them bitter and angry. And you’re so loving. And compassionate. You’re always putting everyone else first; especially me. I mean, Jesus. You just amaze me.”

Nicki didn’t try to hold back the water works. Tears streamed silently down the sides of her face. She wanted to pull him down to kiss him, but she couldn’t. Tyler sensed her struggle and leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. Her lower lip shook from the crying, but he didn’t seem to care. He kissed her so gently; with such love. It caused more tears to fall.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t want to make you cry on your birthday,” he said.

Nicki shook her head and tried to laugh. “It’s a good cry this time. I just… Hearing you say that…”

Tyler nodded. She didn’t have to tell him. Lately, he always knew what she was thinking. Sometimes it was nice not having to explain herself. She closed her eyes as he moved his hands up and down her arms. Nicki had no idea why her arms would hurt. Her abs she understood, she had them clenched tightly the entire time. But her legs, arms, and back were a mystery. Had it taken that much out of her?

When she opened her eyes, Tyler’s chest was right in front of her face. My God. She never thought it was possible for someone to be so perfect. Even other hockey players didn’t compare. And the best part? He was all hers. The sight itself was enough to get her hot and bothered. But she thought better of it – she needed to be able to walk, and somehow didn’t think that would be happening if they went for round two. Maybe later. She let out a long sigh.

Tyler leaned back and looked at her. “What is it babe?”

Nicki smiled every time he called her that. “Nothing. Just thinking about you.” She didn’t feel the need to lie.

He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What about?”

She wasn’t going to tell him. But then she realized he had just poured his heart out to her, and figured he at least deserved the same in return.

“Well, I was staring at your chest. And I thought, wow. He is absolutely perfect. I have never seen anyone that perfect. And by some grace of God, he’s mine.”

Tyler stared at her. He probably didn’t expect her to tell him what she had been thinking. He hung his head, eyes planted on her stomach.

“I feel that way about you sometimes, too,” he said quietly.

“There’s nothing perfect about me.”

He kept his head down. “That’s not true.”

Why wouldn’t he look at her? She was about to ask him when she felt something drop onto her stomach. She watched as he quickly wiped his eyes. It was too late; she had noticed.

“Tyler…” She had no idea what to say. He still didn’t look up. “Ty, come here.”

He moved towards her and rested his head on her chest. Her arm felt somewhat better, and she wrapped it around him. It felt a little backwards, but she liked it. For once, she wasn’t the one that needed comforting. She ran her free hand through his hair. Nicki didn’t want to ask him what was wrong. She had never once seen him so vulnerable.

Moments later, he had gotten up.

“Want to lie on your stomach?”

Nicki rolled over. She desperately wanted to know what just happened. But she wasn’t going to press. If he needed to talk about something, he would do it when he was ready. He spread the oil onto her back and worked it in with his hands. When he rubbed her shoulders, she moaned. His touch was strong, but gentle. The perfect combination.

Perfect. Nicki used to hate the word perfect. It was something you could only strive for, but never reach. It was what drove people insane. Since she met Tyler, it was the most frequently used word in her vocabulary. He had the perfect body. He was the perfect boyfriend. He was perfect for her. The list went on. She didn’t care if it was naïve to believe that perfection existed. Because in her mind, it was right in front of her.

His voice took her back down to earth. It sounded raspier than normal. “Feeling better?”

Nicki moved her limbs around. She was still sore, but she could move.

“Yeah, a lot better. Thanks, Ty.”

She turned her head to try and look at him, but he was outside of her peripheral vision. She felt him climb off of her.

“Good. You should shower. Get the oil off.”

His tone of voice didn’t sound right. Nicki started to worry about him. She pushed herself off of the bed and looked at him. He had his back to her. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his back.

She got the feeling he wanted to be left alone, so she left a kiss between his shoulder blades before grabbing her towel off of the door. She wrapped it around herself and walked across the hall to his bathroom.

** * * * *

When Nicki left, Tyler sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. What the hell was wrong with him? His emotions were out of control. There was a knock on his door. He didn’t feel like answering it. It was Candace.

“Hey big brother,” she said, taking a seat on the bed next to him.

“Hey.”

“What’s wrong?”

She always knew when something was wrong with him. Normally, he would push her away. But for once, it seemed like something she might understand.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

“Does it have something to do with Nicki?” she asked.

“It has everything to do with her. I said some things to her, things that I never planned on telling her. Good stuff, you know?”

She nodded. “And?”

“Then she said something to me. And I completely lost it. Like, what the fuck? I don’t have control over anything anymore,” he admitted, frustrated with himself.

Candace put a hand on his back. “Listen, Ty. I might not be the most experienced person when it comes to this. That would be mom. But if you want my opinion, I’ll gladly give it to you.”

Tyler looked at her, waiting to hear what she had to say.

“For the last three years, you’ve been glamming it up in Boston, right? I don’t even want to know how many girls you slept with. I’m sure you did a bunch of shit that no one in their right mind would do. Just because you could. You only had to worry about yourself, and you liked that. Then you met Nicki. I remember the first time you told me about her. How you picked her up that day she was upset and brought her to your place, and cuddled on the couch to try to make her feel better. I knew then that there was something between you guys. Ty, give me a break. You seriously didn’t care about anyone but you. And all of the sudden you’re going out of your way to help someone you barely know? Then all of that shit happens, and finally the two of you get together. You became a completely different person, in a good way. And now it’s not just you anymore. You’ve got this whole other piece of you that belongs to her. And she can do whatever she wants with it. She can break your heart or make you the happiest person in the world; but it’s entirely up to her. And that’s scary. I know I’d be afraid. But seriously, you can’t shy away from it. If I know Nicki at all, she’s in this for the long haul. She won’t leave you… You’re everything to her. So just let her in. Don’t be afraid to let your guard down around her. Tyler, you have something really, really special. Something I bet a lot of people never even get to experience. So whatever you’re holding on to, just stop. Give all of yourself to her, the way she has to you. I guarantee you’ll feel better.”

He listened carefully to everything she said. He hated to admit it, but she was dead right.

“You’re right, Candace. I can’t believe you just said that. When did you grow up?” he asked, chuckling.

“You’ve been gone for a long time,” she said. He could see the sadness in her eyes.

He wrapped an arm around her. “I love you, sis.”

“Love you too big brother,” she said as she kissed his cheek. She got up to leave. “Really, Ty. Don’t hold back.”

He wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to run from anything anymore. Minutes later, Nicki stepped into his room, wrapped in her towel. She looked at him like he was a piece of fine china; as if he would shatter into a thousand pieces if she wasn’t careful.

“Hey, lo-“

Tyler didn’t let her speak. He forced his lips between hers. Nicki cupped his face with her hands.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked.

“You don’t have to ask. Of course you can.”

“About before,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “I want to explain. Since that first day we got here, I’ve been on this ridiculous emotional rollercoaster. I’m not sure if you noticed. I tried to hide it from you, because I felt weak. I thought, how am I supposed to help Nicki if I’m a wreck? So I’ve been holding a lot of stuff in. And what I said to you earlier, that was just touching the surface of the way I feel about you. I’ve never given so much of myself to another person, and I guess I was just afraid of what might happen. Like, what if I opened up to you and told you all of these things, and then you decided that it was too much and left me? I couldn’t handle it. Somewhere between meeting you and coming here, I let myself depend on you. I’ve never depended on anyone before, not that way. To be honest, I feel horrible about it. Enough people depend on you already, and you have nobody to lean on. Not if I’m leaning on you, too. There are just so many thoughts that I have, these crazy thoughts. Usually about you. Every single day I ask, what the fuck did I do to deserve a girl like this? I don’t deserve you. I never will. And when you told me that you thought I was perfect, it just got me. Because I’m so far from it. But you manage to see past that. I just… I love you more than anything. I would literally die for you. And I wanted so badly to tell you that, but I was too afraid of how you would respond. And then I talked to Candace. She convinced me that I wouldn’t be happy until I told you all of this. I think she was right.”

There was more that he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure how to continue. He sat back on the bed. Nicki dropped her towel and put on her robe before sitting on his lap. Every second that passed felt like hours. She brought her hand up to his face when she spoke.

“Tyler, you don’t have to tell me that,” she said, looking him in the eyes. “I already know. You show me every day. So maybe you haven’t led the most moral life. That does not mean that you don’t deserve what we have. I’m not screwing around, Ty. If I never met you, if you never took me in, do you have any idea where I would be right now? I’d be completely lost. Hopeless. Remember that day, at the trial? When I told you that I couldn’t have done it without you? That was the truth. Don’t you ever worry about leaning on me. Because I draw all of my strength from you. As long as I have you at the end of the day, I know everything’s going to be okay.”

He felt his eyes starting to water. This time, he didn’t try to hide it. Nicki wrapped her arms tighter around him. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like saying anything else. She rubbed his back and he let out a breath. He felt stupid for thinking that she would react badly.

“I’m sorry. I’m totally ruining your birthday,” he said.

“Hey,” she said, “You aren’t ruining anything. If anything, you made my birthday. I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel when you open up to me. I want you to lean on me, Ty. That’s just who I am. I’m not happy unless I have someone to take care of. I love it when you let me take care of you. You don’t have to be afraid of anything.”

He nodded into her neck. “I know.”

“Good,” she said. “Are you gonna be okay? I should probably get dressed.”

Tyler nodded again. “Yeah. I’m fine. Put on something nice, maybe we can go out tonight.”

“Sounds good to me, love.”

She kissed the top of his head before she stood up. Tyler tried to pull himself together. He reclined and watched her get ready. She put on a coral dress and a white jean jacket before walking across the hall to his bathroom. Tyler checked the clock. It was nearly time. He took the opportunity to pick up their clothes from earlier. His mother hadn’t come in yet, so he assumed she came in while they were sleeping. Tyler folded Nicki’s pajamas and put them in her suitcase.

He stared down at her things, lost in thought. He didn’t even know that she came back into the room until she wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her head against his arm. She didn’t ask him what he was thinking about. That was another thing he loved about her; she knew when he didn’t feel like talking, and never pressed an issue. He turned to look at her.

She had curled her hair. Until then, he hadn’t noticed how long it was. Even curled, it hit the middle of her back. Tyler couldn’t figure out what she did to her eyes, but they were sparkling. Her lips and cheeks were a soft pink. It made him want to kiss her, but he knew he would ruin whatever makeup she just did and decided otherwise.

“You’re so pretty,” he said, running a hand halfway through her hair, stopping by her ear.

Nicki leaned her head into his palm and put her hand over his. She smiled. “Thanks, Ty. It never gets old hearing you say that.”

He pressed his lips to her forehead. “You want to go downstairs?”

Tyler hadn’t been out of his room since he cooked Nicki breakfast earlier that morning. She hadn’t been downstairs at all. He was surprised that she hadn’t suggested it once the whole day. Things were working out a lot better than he thought they would. She grabbed his hand.

“Yeah, let’s go! I’m surprised no one has come in here yet to get us.”

They walked out of his room and down the stairs hand in hand. Her hand fit so perfectly into his. When they got to the kitchen, it was obvious that no one was around.

“Where is everyone? Did they go out again?” she asked him.

Tyler tried to conceal his smile. “Maybe they’re outside.”

He opened the door that led to the backyard, letting Nicki go out first.

“SURPRISE!”

Tyler followed her out of the door and wrapped his arms around her waist, planting a kiss on her cheek. His mother and sisters ran up to her and hugged her. Cassidy reached up and placed a “Birthday Girl” tiara on top of Nicki’s head.

“You guys are unbelievable,” she said as she adjusted the tiara. “Thank you so much.”

His mother’s friends from the other night came up to her, giving her hugs and birthday wishes. Next came his father. He whispered something into her ear and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It warmed Tyler’s heart to see his family take her in so willingly. He knew how much it meant to her. She deserved to have some kind of a family, even if they didn’t share the same blood in their veins.

He felt a pat on his back. “Hey man.”

Tyler turned around. “Greg! How are you?” he asked, hugging his friend. It had been years since they’d seen each other.

“I’m doing good, really good. Penny’s here somewhere, probably off talking to Tara and Jess.”

“Tara and Jess are here, too?”

“Ty, half of our graduating class is here. I don’t think a single one of our friends didn’t show. The whole team’s here, too.”

Tyler couldn’t believe it. His mother had only invited a few people. He had missed all of his friends. A petite girl with black hair came up to them and wrapped an arm around Greg’s waist.

“Oh, this is my girlfriend, Alicia,” he said. Tyler shook her hand.

“How’d you guys meet?”

“She lives right down the street, actually. She moved here right about the time you left.”

Tyler ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. I didn’t realize how much I missed.”

Greg gave him a shove and laughed. “Well, that’s what happens when you become Boston’s golden boy. Seriously, man. Congrats. I can’t believe you made it.”

“Thanks, I have a hard time believing it sometimes, too.”

“So where’s this girlfriend of yours? I’ve been dying to meet the girl who stole the heart of the eternally single Tyler Seguin.”

Tyler laughed and looked around. “Uh, I have no idea. Come on, we’ll find her. I want her to meet you.”

They found her talking to a group of his high school friends. His mom must have introduced her to them. She was laughing over something with two of the guys from his old team.

“Segs!” Chris shouted as he came up to him and hugged him. “Dude, your girlfriend is awesome.”

Tyler smiled. He knew she was. “Why, what did she do now?”

“Nothing in particular. She’s just so friendly. So you guys live together? That doesn’t sound like the Segs that I know.”

“Yeah, well, a lot’s changed since I met her.”

Chris grinned. “You better fucking invite me to the wedding, or I’ll come to Boston and cripple your ass.”

Tyler punched him in the shoulder. Of course Chris would say something like that. They started to catch up. He had no idea how he would talk to all of these people in one night. Just as he finished speaking to Chris, he felt a pair of arms around his waist. They weren’t the arms that he was used to. He spun around, backing away from the embrace.

“Sam? What the hell are you doing here?”

She smiled at him. “Jeez, Ty, it’s nice to see you too.”

Fuck. She was the last person on the earth that he wanted to see. She had a fucking nerve to be there.

“You know this is a birthday party… for my girlfriend? Right?”

She nodded and put her hands on his hips. He backed away again and put his arms up.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Aw, come on Ty. I know you missed me. Remember that last time…”

He cut her off. “Seriously, Sam. I need you to leave. This isn’t an open party.”

“Oh, so that’s what you do with your girlfriends? Keep ‘em around just to throw them out of your life and treat them like garbage?”

Tyler scoffed. “I’m treating you like garbage because you’re fucking crazy. Do I have to remind you?”

She glared at him and started screaming. “NO, TYLER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO FUCKING REMIND ME. DO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU TOLD ME YOU LOVED ME? WAS THAT JUST TO GET ME TO SLEEP WITH YOU? WELL, GUESS WHAT? IT WORKED. YOU GOT ME FUCKING PREGNANT TYLER. AND I NEVER BOTHERED TO TELL YOU, BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO MUCH OF A PRICK TO TAKE ANYTHING SERIOUSLY.” She turned to Nicki, who was frozen, mouth gaping. “You better get out while you still can, sweetie. He’s just going to fuck you over like every other girl he’s ever been with.”

With that, she shoved Tyler and ran out of the yard. He looked around. Everyone was staring at him. He could wring Sam’s fucking neck.

Nicki walked slowly over to him. “Is that true?”

“No, it’s not true. There’s no way that it can be true. She was on the pill and we used a condom every time. I wasn’t going to let something like that ruin my future,” he said, fuming.

“So why did she even say that?” He couldn’t read the expression on her face.

“There’s a lot I didn’t tell you about her.”

“Oh, you just happened to leave out the fact that your ex girlfriend is a fucking psychopath?”

Tyler hung his head. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to bring it up. I didn’t think you’d ever have to meet her. To be honest, I’m a little embarrassed that I went out with her.”

He felt Nicki put a hand underneath his jaw, tilting his head up.

“Are you mad at me?”

She smiled at him. “Of course I’m not mad at you. I mean, I wouldn’t mind going twelve rounds with your ex but…”

That made him laugh. “You’re classier than that. I’m really sorry, Nicki. I never thought she would have the balls to show up here.”

“It’s okay.”

She still had her hand on his face. She added her other one and looked him in the eyes as she leaned in to kiss him. Tyler slipped his hands under her jacket, keeping his hands on her shoulder blades. He pulled her a little closer and let himself get lost in her kiss.

Tyler heard some people clapping. They must have been holding their breath to see how Nicki would react. He hadn’t worried. They were stronger than that.

“I think it might be time for cake!” his mother yelled from the patio.

“Oh! Cake!” Nicki said as she grabbed his hand and made her way towards the house.

Everyone moved around so that Nicki could get a front row view. They had gone to a bakery in town and got the cake custom made. Tyler made sure that it was a marble cake, because Nicki always told him that she liked yellow and chocolate too much to pick which was her favorite. The icing was white with pink flowers and green stems.

“Aw! What a gorgeous cake,” she said, squeezing his hand.

Tyler let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, resting his head on top of hers. The tiara obstructed his view, but he wanted to be close to her. He watched as his mother lit the single candle on the cake. Nicki tilted her head and kissed his arm when she saw it. He knew she would appreciate it. Candace started the happy birthday song. Tyler sang it in her ear.

Everyone cheered as Nicki walked over to the cake. She paused before blowing out the candle. His mother cut her the first piece. As she took a bite, she made the face she always makes when she thinks something is delicious. It earned some laughs from his friends. He never thought that he would be so proud to have such a goofy girlfriend.

Once everyone had their fill of cake, his mom got everyone’s attention again to let them know that it was time for presents. It took a good ten minutes to get Nicki to agree to it. She had been adamant about no one getting her anything, but everyone in his family did.

She sat down and his mother handed her a gift that had been wrapped in metallic gold paper.

“I have to warn you, this is more of a present for me than it is for you,” she admitted, laughing.

“Good,” Nicki said, accepting the present.

She unwrapped it slowly, revealing a scrapbook when all of the paper had been stripped off. It was white with a silver floral pattern.

“Go on,” his mother coaxed, “Go to the first page.”

Tyler watched as Nicki flipped the cover. The first page had been customized with a message.

For Nicki,

No matter what happens, you’ll always have a special place in our hearts. Our door is always open for you. Here’s to the best year of your life. Happy Birthday.

Love,

The Seguins

She looked up at each member of his family, one at a time. They all knew how much it would mean to her. Nicki got up and hugged each of them, saving his mother for last. She took the scrapbook and turned a few of the pages. She had already started it. The first picture was the one of the two of them at the bonfire after Nicki had played the song. His mom had gotten it blown up so that it would take up most of the first page. The next page contained the picture of her with the giraffe, the two their waitress took of them on their first date, and her lying with Tyler on his hospital bed. The third had the picture of her after he asked her to move in, the ones he took of her unpacking, and the one of her in her apron. And on the fourth page was the picture of her kissing Tyler’s nose.

“This is beautiful,” Nicki said as she looked through it.

His mother nodded. “You have to keep up with this. Right now. Stand next to Tyler,” she said, pulling out a camera.

She moved towards him, and he got behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He bent his knees so that he could put his chin on her shoulder and smiled at the camera.

“Mine next! Mine next!” screamed Cassidy as soon as the flash went off.

Nicki laughed as Cassidy handed her a hot pink bag. She pulled out the tissue paper and took out the dress that was inside. Cassidy had asked Tyler all about Nicki’s wardrobe to make sure she didn’t get her something that she already had. He told her that he thought she looked good in white, but rarely wore it. So, she bought her a white summer dress.

“I know you said you loved wearing dresses, so I got you one! I hope you like it!”

“Aw, Cass! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to wear it!” she said as she hugged her.

“I bet you really won’t be able to wait to wear what I got you…” said Candace.

Tyler knew what Candace had gotten her. He’d had to help her pick it out. His sister handed her a small black bag. He studied Nicki’s face as she realized what was inside, unable to hold back a grin. Her cheeks turned red.

“Show everyone what it is,” said his mother.

They hadn’t told their mom what it was. He got the feeling that if she knew, she wouldn’t have said that. Nicki held up the matching bra and panties. They were black with black lace trim. It wasn’t just any lingerie. The bra had a yellow ‘1’ on the right cup and a yellow ‘9’ on the left. The panties had a yellow ‘19’ on the front and ‘Seguin’ written across the back. Tyler started to laugh; Nicki looked mortified.

When everyone at the party got a look, they broke out into laughter and whistles, embarrassing her even further. His mom snapped a picture as Candace wrapped Nicki in a bear hug. Tyler had pretended to take the present as a joke, but in reality he couldn’t wait to see her in it. As if he didn’t have enough trouble controlling himself around her. His mind travelled back to that morning…

His mother’s voice snapped him out of it. “I think we have one more present for you!”

Shit. Tyler had completely zoned out. He grabbed the last gift bag off of the table that the cake was on and handed it to Nicki.

“Tyler, you told me you didn’t get me anything.”

He smiled. “I lied. Just open it.”

Nicki hesitantly opened the bag and looked inside. The only thing in it was a notebook and an envelope. She gave him a look, not understanding what it was. When he didn’t explain, she unsealed the envelope. Inside was a card. When she opened the card, two plane tickets fell out.

“I know you said not to get anything. Technically, I didn’t. I booked us a week in San Diego in June so you can visit Jason. And don’t worry, I called Lisa. She promised the wedding wouldn’t be that week.”

“You did that for me?” she asked, teary eyed.

He nodded. “And Jason.”

Nicki lunged into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The force knocked him back a few steps. When he regained his balance, he squeezed her tightly.

She brought her lips up to his ear. “Thank you.”

** * * * *

“NICKI! Put that down! I swear to God!” Jackie screamed.

Nicki’s head shot up and she let the trash bag she was holding fall to the ground. Jackie came over to her.

“Are you seriously cleaning up after your own surprise party? This isn’t even your house!”

“It’s the least that I can do,” Nicki pleaded. “You guys have done so much for me.”

Jackie shook her head and picked up the bag. “Just because you and Tyler aren’t married doesn’t mean that you’re not a part of this family. If this was one of my kids, they sure wouldn’t be cleaning up after their own birthday party. Hell, they wouldn’t even offer,” she said, laughing.

Nicki couldn’t hide how much Jackie’s words affected her. She wrapped her arms around her.

“That means so much to me,” she said, on the verge of tears.

“I know it does, sweetie. Why don’t you go find Tyler? Jim and I can take care of this mess.”

She nodded and headed towards the house. Tyler had disappeared after the party ended, and Nicki had been too worried about picking up all of the red solo cups scattered across the yard to figure out where he went.

Nicki crept up the stairs, trying not to wake up Cassidy, who had retired for the night right after the presents. When she turned down the hallway she heard Tyler’s shower running. She was tempted to jump in with him, but decided against it. That was better left for their apartment.

Instead, she went into his room and changed into her birthday present from Candace. When she gave it to her, she whispered in her ear that he was trying to pretend that he wasn’t dying to see her in it. As strange as it was taking that kind of advice from his sister, she went with it. Nicki still couldn’t stop thinking about earlier that morning. Her aching muscles were a constant reminder of just how intense things had been. She wanted more.

The bra ended up being surprisingly comfortable. It wasn’t a push up, but it gave her a certain lift that she knew Tyler wouldn’t be able to ignore. When she heard the water turn off, she grabbed her favorite sweatshirt of his and zipped it all the way up. She wanted to surprise him with it, but before they did anything she wanted to talk to him.

“Hey sexy,” she said as he walked into the room. It earned an adorable smile from him.

Nicki had to turn away from him. The sight of him in nothing but a towel was too much for her to bear. Somehow, she got the feeling that he knew what she was thinking. Instead of getting dressed, he sat on his bed still in the towel. He reclined and put his arms behind his head. It took every ounce of her self control not to pounce on him. She focused on his face, not like that was any less attractive than the rest of him.

He looked at her. “What is it?”

Apparently, she wasn’t hiding it very well. She lied down facing him on the other side of the bed, propping herself up on her elbow.

“I told you not to get me anything,” she said. Nicki had been waiting to talk to him about it for hours, and couldn’t put it off any longer.

Tyler shook his head. “You really think that I would just not get you something for your birthday?”

“You do way too much for me already.”

“Who are you to say how much is too much?” he asked, moving one of his hands to grasp hers. She started to mindlessly trace circles on his palm. “Besides, it isn’t even really a present. I was going to take you anyways once the season was over. Or, if you wanted to go alone, I’d pay for you to go. You deserve to see your brother.”

“Tyler, that means the world to me. Really, I can’t even find the words to tell you. But I’m never going to be able to repay you for all of the things you do for me. I only have so much to offer…”

He moved his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, leaving it on the side of her face.

“Remember the day at the zoo? What I said to you in the car?” he asked.

Of course she did. She could never forget that. She nodded.

“That’s still true. You’re the only thing that I want. I would even choose you over hockey, without batting an eye.” Nicki stared at him. She didn’t know what to say. “I don’t think you realize how much you do for me,” he said.

Nicki was at a loss for words. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but none of them were making any sense to her. She asked him the one thing that was constantly on her mind.

“Why me, Ty? Out of all the girls you could have had, why did you pick me?”

Once it was out, she regretted it. She didn’t like to let her insecurities seep through, even with Tyler.

“Because you’re the one I fell in love with,” he said, matter-of-factly. There was no question in his mind. His confidence formed a knot in her stomach; he was so sure.

Nicki scooted over to him and put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She felt so loved, and so safe. Nothing in the world could hurt her in that moment. For a while, neither of them spoke. Nicki listened to the steady rhythm of his breath. At one point, she thought he might have fallen asleep. Just as she was about to check, he spoke.

“So, you never gave me the chance to explain the other part of your present.”

“Oh yeah, the notebook,” she said, remembering.

He nodded. “I thought that maybe we could start our own bucket list, since you were so interested in mine.”

Nicki pushed herself up so that she could look at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. While I was in the shower I thought of a few things I wanted to put on it. Want to start it now?”

“I’d love to,” she said as she got up to find the notebook. She had put all of her gifts in with her things. Well, except for the one from Candace. Nicki picked up the small notebook and grabbed a pen off of Tyler’s desk, then headed back to the bed.

“So what did you think of that you wanted to put on?” she asked.

“Don’t laugh, okay?”

Why would she laugh? “No promises.”

“I want to watch the sunset with you… in Santorini.”

Nicki gaped at him. “Why would I ever laugh at that?!”

“Because it’s cheesy.”

“Tyler! I never told you?”

“Told me what?”

“That the place I want to go most in the entire world is Greece? Specifically, Santorini? To watch the sunset?”

His lips peeled back to form a smile. “No, you never told me that.”

She was stunned. It was one of her lifelong dreams. She shook her head in disbelief.

“You’re too good to be true.”

Nicki leaned towards him slowly, eyes on his as he moved to meet her. She let out a long breath through her nose as her lips touched his. It felt like their first kiss and their millionth. She wondered if she would ever grow accustomed to it. She smiled a little as she pulled away.

They spent hours adding to their bucket list. It included everything from seeing the Stonehenge in England to trying the Ben and Jerry’s Vermonster challenge. Nicki doubted that she would be able to eat twenty something scoops of ice cream, but Tyler was confident that he could at least give it a run for its money.

A majority of things they added were sex-related. Not surprisingly, Tyler suggested that they should try to have sex in each of the fifty states. Nicki was pretty sure it wouldn’t be too difficult for them. After filling out five full pages, they ran out of ideas.

“I think that’s a good start,” Tyler said, yawning.

Nicki checked the clock. It was nearly four in the morning. She couldn’t believe how quickly the night flew by. It felt like minutes ago that she was blowing out the candles on her cake. And being harassed by Tyler’s ex-girlfriend.

“Hey, you never told me about your ex,” Nicki said. “What’s her deal? That was one of the craziest things that I’ve ever seen.”

Tyler sighed. She knew he didn’t want to talk about it, but she did.

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“But you told me that you two had fun together. And if I remember correctly, you never mentioned that things ended badly. You made it seem like it was a mutual decision.”

“It was a mutual decision. She didn’t go off the deep end until I was getting ready to move to Boston. I woke up the morning I was supposed to leave to find every tire on every one of our cars slashed, and a letter on my windshield from her.”

“What did the letter say?” Nicki was intrigued; he had never once mentioned anything like that.

“A bunch of shit. I really don’t remember it now, but I do remember thinking that she was nuts. So because of that, I ended up staying here an extra few days, right? She sneaks into my house in the middle of the night and climbs into bed with me. Scared the shit out of me when I woke up. My mom called the cops, and she did some time at an institution because of it.”

“Like, a mental institution?”

“Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I can’t believe you never bothered to mention that.”

“Sorry. Like I said earlier, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

Nicki understood. She wouldn’t want to bring that up either.

“Should I be worried about her coming to Boston and murdering me?”

Tyler laughed and wrapped an arm around her. “You always know just what to say.”

She snuggled up to him. Momentarily, she forgot about what she was wearing underneath his sweatshirt. She faked a yawn and stretched.

“You ready to go to sleep?” she asked him.

“Yeah. We probably should.”

Nicki could stay up all night talking to him. They never ran out of things to say. But she was determined. She got up and walked across the room to turn off the light. She closed his door and unzipped the sweatshirt slowly, making sure he was paying attention. She let it slide off of her shoulders and onto the floor, watching Tyler watching her.

His expression was priceless. He stared at her, mouth open. Nicki raised a finger and curled it, beckoning him over to her. He got off of the bed, completely forgetting about the towel that was unwrapping itself from his waist. Nicki took him in, fighting her hardest to stay under control.

She could tell that Tyler was doing the same. Once he made it over to her, he ran a single finger down the side of her stomach. His eyes followed his hand down her body. She felt goose bumps rise on her skin where he touched her. He left his hand on her hip bone and raised his head to look her in the eyes.

“I’m going to have to thank Candace for getting you this,” he said, shaking his head. “Let me see the back.”

Nicki grinned as she turned around and stuck out her butt towards him. Tyler placed his hands on her and squeezed gently, as if he was afraid he was going to hurt her. She had never realized how big his hands were; they covered her entire backside. Something about it turned her on. She backed up towards him and moved her hips, trying to tease him.

It worked. Tyler moved his hands around to the front of her stomach, running them across her skin every which way. His touch made her knees weak. He brushed his lips along her shoulder and neck, stopping every few inches to leave a kiss. Nicki stretched her arms behind her and wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer.

He inched his hands up towards her chest, touching her over the bra. She was enjoying all of the attention he was giving her, although it was a little bit like torture. There was only one thing she really wanted, but she would have to wait for it. When Tyler touched her, her patience flew straight out the window. Nicki closed her eyes as he moved one of his hands down her stomach; she knew where he was headed. He slipped underneath the band of her underwear.

“Fuck,” she whispered, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder.

Tyler chuckled in her ear. “Whenever you’re ready.”

She was more than ready.

“Get on the bed,” she ordered.

She knew he liked it when she took control. When he got to the bed, Nicki flicked the light switch. She crept over to him, taking care not to trip over anything. Her outstretched hands found his chest and she climbed on top of him, searching for his lips with her own. The lack of vision made everything difficult, but it also made every sensation more powerful. She lightly tugged on his lower lip with her teeth before moving her mouth down his body.

Tyler pushed her head down, but instead of giving him what he wanted, she started to move even slower. When she finally gave in, he let out a long, soft groan.

“How are you so good at this?” he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

She knew he wasn’t actually expecting her to answer. Nicki took the compliment. The amount of girls he’d been with, if he thought she was good, she felt pretty damn special. She hummed, letting the vibrations travel to him. He fidgeted and pulled her hair a little. Job well done, Nicki, job well done. She ran her hands up to his abs, tracing the indentations from his muscles with her fingertips. Tyler grabbed her hands and shoved them back down to her mouth. She took the hint and wrapped one around him.

“Oh God,” he moaned as she picked up speed.

He wasn’t expecting her to finish, but she wanted to. She swallowed. Before she could even get a word out, Tyler had her on her back, unhooking her bra. Nicki tried to lift her back to help him, but couldn’t.

“I’m still really sore from earlier,” she said, disappointed.

Tyler brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “I’ll be gentle.”

He brought his lips down to hers and kissed her softly. She was interested to see what he meant by ‘gentle’. He leaned into her and she clenched her muscles. She hadn’t quite recovered yet. The pain eased away as Tyler found a rhythm. He never stopped kissing her. It was the first time they had been calm enough to keep a kiss going, and Nicki was thoroughly enjoying it. As if both things going on didn’t feel good enough on their own…

For the next forty five minutes, Nicki was entirely absorbed in the moment. She counted every breath, every heartbeat. Tyler lacked his usual urgency, allowing her to relish in it. She had no idea how he was still going, or how much longer he planned to go for. Her question was answered when the first streaks of morning light cascaded in through his windows. He slid his arms underneath her and buried his face in her neck, getting himself deeper. As soon as he did, Nicki felt herself finally losing control.

She moaned, saying his name. He ran his tongue along her neck in response, sending a chill down her spine. Nicki couldn’t hold in a whine, and Tyler covered her mouth with his hand. When he finished and caught his breath, he rolled off of her. She turned onto her side and Tyler came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her stomach, pulling her to him. The heat radiating off of his body was instantaneously putting Nicki to sleep.

“Happy birthday,” he whispered.

It had been the best birthday of her entire life.